maintenance fitter with defence background

I am currently in the Royal Australian Navy as a marine technician (maintenance fitter trade). I have no real experience with hydraulics but I intend to do a fluid power course at technical college (3 months duration with a formal qualification) after I discharge.

What are my chances at getting work in the ROV field after doing this course and am I better off honing my hydraulic skills for a couple of years before trying.

Will the fact that I am in the Navy put me to the top of the list with potential employers?

Thanks, any help would be appreciated

Taking the hydraulics course will be a bonus. Also. along with your offshore survival and approved offshore medical, look at getting a high voltage safety cert at some point, as that seems to becoming asked for more and more these days.

Being Ex- Navy won’t put you to the top of the list, but if your next employer is ex-services it may have your cause in a more positive manner than not.

What are your chances?
If you know anyone on the game, or know somebody that’s knows someone it might help you get a foot in the door.
Getting a start these days is not as easy as it used to be… the market is currently awash with Trainees, being pumped out by the training schools.

I’m not sure if you are able to time your release date (and completion of your hydraulics course) but check when the busy season is offshore in Oz and try to be available for a start then. Push your CV out and make plenty of phone calls to let people know you are around. If you need to take a job onshore working with hydraulics or take a job offshore as, having some offshore time already may be looked on more favourable by potential employers.

As an aside, you need a line in. One way to do this is maybe join the Oz Maritime union (MUA). ROV offshore workers on Oz are in the MUA and subject to an offshore agreement for pay and conditions. Once you are a member you would be able to attend meetings and maybe get some info from ROV guys already working in the industry.

Some good points there. :tup:

It is very good to hear that TAFE is filtering the applications for suitability.
The post trade requirement is written into the guidelines that IMCA issue.

It is a shame that the other so called "schools" work in the "commercial" sector.

These are fairly lean times and the requirement for trainees is not as high as some "schools" marketing flyers would have you believe. Currently many of the larger companies are making experienced people redundant.

On that note has anyone done an ROV course with the underwater school in South Australia? If so what was it like and how hard was it to get on the course?

I am surprised by the "how hard was it to get on?" part of the post above.
The point, I believe, is that if people are having difficulty getting on a course it is only for 2 reasons;
1). They do not have the relevant qualifications or experience.
2). There are not enough industrial places.
Either way, if you are not accepted, why go to any of the other courses? Do you just want to do a course without a chance of a job?

Seems like a good way to through money away!

Will the fact that I am in the Navy put me to the top of the list with potential employers?

I missed this part previously;
Why would being in the Navy put you at the top of the list? Employers are interested in those with valid qualifications and experience no matter where they were gained.

Given two people (one civvy and one ex-military) with the same basic qualifications, I would choose the ex-military guy for the reasons mentioned by martyb. Being Ex Navy would have no more influence than being ex Army or Air Force. Ex military people all show similar useful qualities, including adaptability, many of which are sadly missing from civilian life these days.

But, being ex-forces alone would not move anybody to the top or high up the list. It just might make a difference though and can be viewed as a plus point rather than a negative.

best regards
James Mc
(Ex Royal Engineers)

likewise.
less BS or piss taking as you brits say